USDA Seeks Comments on Evaluation of the Highly Pathogenic Avian InfluenzaStatus of Czech Republic and Sweden

April 6, 2010

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is advising the public that it has prepared an evaluation of the animal health status of the Czech Republic and Sweden relative to the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The evaluation presents its assessment of the HPAI H5N1 detection, control and eradication measures in place in the Czech Republic and Sweden following the outbreaks of HPAI in Sweden during 2006, and in the Czech Republic during 2007, as well as its assessment of the present status of the Czech Republic and Sweden with respect to HPAI H5N1. The evaluation is being made available to the public for review and comment. If, after the close of the comment period, no additional risk factors can be identified that would indicate that domestic poultry in the Czech Republic and Sweden continue to be affected with HPAI H5N1, those regions will be removed from the APHIS list of regions affected with HPAI H5N1.

This action is published in today’s April 6 Federal Register.

Consideration will be given to comments we receive on or before May 6. You may
Submit comments by either of the following methods:

Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and also can be reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building 14th St. and Independence Ave., SW., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Please call (202) 690‑2817 to facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

Note to Reporters: Public notices and other APHIS information are available on the Internet and through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. Go to the APHIS news release page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the “Newsroom” button to view and/or sign up to receive releases via the RSS feed link. For additional information about this topic contact Madelaine Fletcher at (301) 734-6125 or by e-mail at madelaine.fletcher@aphis.usda.gov.